Thomas W. Lipps has practiced in Algona, Iowa, since 1984 and handles civil litigation matters which are often personal injury or insurance disputes. Mr. Lipps is certified as a Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. His cases include representing the plaintiffs who recovered what were reported to be the record highest and second highest jury verdicts in Kossuth County District Court history and one reported national record. In August of 2000, he represented the plaintiff in a jury trial who recovered what was reported to be the highest punitive damage award - $500,000 - in Kossuth County District court history. In October of 2002 he represented the Plaintiffs who obtained a thirty-three million dollar ($33,000,000.00) jury verdict in an environmental pollution case which was reported to be a national record.

Mr. Lipps has represented farm families who have been damaged by air pollution generated by factory style livestock facilities. In March of 2000 in the case of Howard v. Sunrise Farms his clients recovered a money judgment against a corporate farm in one of the first cases to go to trial since the onset of large scale factory farms in Iowa. For this case Mr. Lipps received the 2000 Public Justice Award from the Iowa Trial Law Association.

Mr. Lipps has also represented several farm families in a successful constitutional challenge overturning an Iowa law that prevented the public from holding corporations responsible for air pollution. (Gacke v. Pork Xtra, L.L.C., 684.NW 2d 168, 2004).

Mr. Lipps has been active in the Iowa Trial Lawyers Association serving on the Board of Governors for Judicial District 3A which is in Northwestern Iowa. He has also been involved in state and local politics and served as Chairman of the Congressional District Central Committee for the Iowa Democratic Party chairing the 2000 District convention in Algona and 2002 District Convention in Ames.

Areas of Practice

• Personal Injury
• Workers Compensation Law
• Civil Litigation

Certification/Specialties

• Civil Trial Advocate, National Board of Trial Advocay

Bar Admissions

• Iowa, 1981
• Nebraska, 1979
• U.S. District Court District of Nebraska, 1979
• U.S. District Court Northern District of Iowa, 1984
• U.S. District Court Southern District of Iowa, 1998
• U.S. Court of Appeals 8th Circuit, 1996
• U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit, 2003
• U.S. Tax Court, 1987
• U.S. Supreme Court, 1993

Education

• University of Nebraska College of Law, Lincoln, Nebraska, 1979
  J.D.
  
  
• University of Nebraska, 1976
  B.S.
  Honors: With High Distinction
  Major: Agriculture
  
  

Classes/Seminars Taught

• Livestock confinement & other nuisance suit litigation, 2007 Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers seminar, March 1, 2007
• Agricultural Law Update, 2006 Lawyers, Chautauqua, June 2, 2006
• Factory Farm Nuisance Suit Litigation, YLD Summer Seminar, August 1, 2003
• Update on Factory Farm Nuisance Suit Litigation, Third Judicial District Lawyers Chautauqua, June 1, 2002
• Fault in the Context of the Family Relationship, Iowa Trial Lawyers Association, Family Law Seminar, May 31, 2000
• Preparation of the Livestock Confinement Factory Farm Nuisance Case, Iowa, Trial Lawyers Association Annual Meeting, Ways To Win With Todays Jurors, November 3, 2000
• Presenting the Adult Child's Claim for Loss of Parental Consortium, Iowa Trial Lawyers Association, Turning the Tables on the Insurance Industry in Your Next Auto Case, July 28, 2000
• Investigation and Preparation of a Railroad Grade Crossing Collision Case, Iowa Third Judicial District Lawyer's Chautaugua, June 5, 1999
• What You Should Know About Uninsured, Underinsured and Medical Payment Coverage, Iowa Trial Lawyers Association, Motor Vehicle Litigation in Iowa, September 11, 1998
• Open the Door When Opportunity Knocks-Use of Admissions in Automobile Negligence Cases, Iowa Trial Lawyers Association, How to Get the Verdict You Want, May 10, 1996

Honors and Awards

• 2000 Iowa Trial Lawyers Association Public Justice Award

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers
  
  
• Iowa Trial Lawyers Association, 1998 - 2004
  Board of Governors
  
  
• Iowa Trial Lawyers Association, 1987 - Present
  Member
  
  
• Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 1988 - Present
  Member
  
  
• Iowa State Bar Association, 1981 - Present
  Member
  
  
• Nebraska State Bar Association, 1979 - Present
  Member
  
  
• Iowa Democratic Party, 1998 - 2002
  Member, Fifth Congressional District State Central Committee
  
  
• Iowa Democratic Party, 2000 - 2002
  Chairman, Fifth Congressional District State Central Committee
  
  
• Kossuth County Bar Association, 1984 - Present
  Member
  
  
• Kossuth County Bar Association
  Secretary, 1989-1999; President 2005-2007
  
  

Fraternities/Sororities

• Gamma Sigma Delta
• Phi Delta Phi